Watching
by Therashae
Summary: What is going on in Laxus's head? What happens when someone hears him? What did Lucy bring home?
1. Empty Mornings

This is my first shared work and first fan fiction ever, so bare with me. Constructive and encouraging reviews are appreciated.

I do not own Fairy Tail, nor any of its characters.

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Big, sparkling, chocolate eyes. Her eyes smile. I wonder if her smile tastes like chocolate. She is singing. I hear her laughing. Her laugh sparkles. Like her eyes.

I open my eyes to see her better, and she is gone. It's just me, in my empty, silent, dead appartment, dreaming again. Before I even wake up she is there in my head. I hate waking up, but the sun is shining so I know I can't go back to sleep.

I drag myself out of bed, take a shower, make myself look human, and stumble, half dead, to the guildhall. I need coffee. Mavis, I hate mornings. They are to early.

Mira is happy this morning. Why is she always so happy? No one has any reason to be this happy, especially this early. At least the other happy people are being quiet about it. Wendy doesn't usually make a lot of noise, and Levy's books keep her quiet. Thank Mavis, Team Chaos doesn't usually make an appearance this early.

Sometimes she is here in the mornings, but not today. I'm in luck, or not. I wish she was here, but I don't want her anywhere near me. It's complicated. Apparently I like being miserable.

Two days. It's been two days since I've seen her. I haven't heard anyone mention a mission, but if she doesn't come in today maybe I will ask if her team took one. Except I won't. If I'm careful maybe... maybe I can find out. I signal Mira for coffee.

My team was still drinking when I left last night. Well... Freed was only technically drinking, as a single glass of wine hardly counts. He may be in soon, but as long as no one riles him up he will tuck himself into a book and pretend he isn't watching Mira. Cana isn't passed out at the bar, so chances are Bickslow managed to get her to go home with him last night. No Elfman either. If Evergreen left with him (seperately of course, but who do they think they are fooling) that means I've got a couple hours before they show up and start bickering.

The guildhall doors open. I take a slow breath. I don't smell strawberries, so it's not her. Please be someone quiet and not happy. One cup of coffee isn't enough.

"Good morning everyone!" Lisanna. Too happy. I've got a tiny, tiny soft spot for the youngest Straus after she 'died' and was missing for years. I'll let it slide, this time.

"Morning, Lisanna!" Ugh. Why do they all shout? I might electrocute the rest of them. If they do it again I will seriously consider it. I signal Mira for more coffee. Lisanna perches a couple stools down.

"Hey, Mira, is Natsu's team on a job? I didn't see him last night when I got back from that job Juvia and I took." Don't react. You don't care. Don't look interrested.

"They should be back this morning since they weren't in last night, maybe tomorrow if they had trouble. It was just a small monster hunting job." Great. Flame Brain is going to go overboard again, which will get Erza all excited, and Gray will make it a competition, and Blondie will come back hurt. Again. "Where is Juvia anyway? She isn't usually a late riser unless she stays up really late watching Gray. She didn't come in last night either did she?"

"She was exhausted by the time we got home yesterday. Herding fish is really hard work, Mira." They were playing with fish. Who needs to have fish herded? Chasing fish... just the kind of job those two would do I guess.

Maybe I will just hang around the guild today. I might get the chance to zap Natsu good if they come back, Gray too if I'm lucky. If I'm here I can make sure she is ok, might even get to hear her laugh. I wonder if Mira would mix some chocolate in my coffee if I asked.

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Two more cups of coffee had not been enough to make Evergreen and Bickslow's toddler brawl tolerable. My hopes for a peaceful morning were shattered by a giggling tornado of fairy dust. Yes I zapped them. They asked for it. Was it with more volts than necessary? Also yes. Did it put me in a better mood? Not really. The chocolate in my coffee helped though. I did not ask Mira for it. I made Freed do it.

An hour into my day, and halfway through my first cup of chocolate laced coffee, the first non-toddler brawl of the day started over Levy. Literally. Gajeel shot himself out of his self assigned corner of deathglares over Levy's head to reach Jet, because his mouth moves almost as fast as his feet. I don't think the poor girl even noticed. I savored the warm chocolate taste on my tongue as I watched little Wendy, with Carla floating behind her, crawl under Levy's table to take the seat Gajeel had just vacated. Lily transformed into his battle form just to keep the blunettes from being crushed to death by a flying table.

I glared at my empty mug as the heathens continued to roar. Freed, being the only one of my team yet to descend into the madness below, noticed my displeasure. I generously allowed him the honour of risking his life to bring me more of the warm, soothing, chocolate brew. Blondie can't get home soon enough.

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To be continued


	2. Toddlers and Chaos

This story is being loaded sans beta. My apologies for any mistakes. Thanks for all the love everybody! I'm having fun watching the guild through Laxus's eyes too.

Fairy Tail and it's characters are not mine.

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Six cups of coffee had me feeling as human as I could expect for the day, especially with her gone. The guild had calmed down enough that I returned my mug to the happy demon myself, though I had to avoid a stone Elfman to get there, and barely restrained myself from doing something cruel to Metalhead where he lay incapacitated by one of Levy's giant tomes. A nagging Carla was weeding out those she saw as unworthy of her little dragoness's tender generosity. Jet was sent away as an instigator of the chaos. Bickslow was perched in the table behind them backing Carla more than Wendy in his odd big brother role he had assumed since the Giant Fish Clock incident.

I felt a growl vibrate through my chest, remembering the tears Blondie had shed after that. We didn't see very many, but she lost her sparkle for a while, and I'm a dragon slayer, even if I'm only second gen, I could smell the salt. It bothered me that I hadn't been around to help teach the Neo Oracion Seis and the puppet Legion Platoon how stupid it was to mess with Fairy Tail. We almost lost her. If they had their way I never would have heard her sparkling laugh again. I'd been to busy feeling sorry for myself at the time and hadn't realized anything was up until the world turned on its head when the Real Nightmare spell activated, when the clock took Lucy.

The doors swung wide, as the last person in Wendy's bandaid line settled into their pre-brawl seat. Well... think of the Devil and he shall appear. There stood Crime Sorciere in all their not-so-mysterious cloaked glory. They had long since been welcomed among us with open arms and full mugs of beer. I smiled inside at their appearance.

Team Natsu and what had come to be seen as our sister guild had a barely/mostly/not quite healthy prank war going that I had so far managed to keep myself out of. Though since Cobra, Jellal, and Midnight (Angel too depending on whether she and the Narco were on or off that week) tended to seek refuge from the general madness in the S-class lounge I had my doubts that I would remain unscathed. I'd seen Cobra eye me one to many times to let my guard down. Mira was the only other one of our guildmates who had managed to stay clean, but no one would be messing with Mira. Obviously. She was safe since she was... Mira.

I watched as Meredy's pink head bounced up to the bar to scheme with the Straus sisters. Juvia, Kinana, and Laki joined their huddle, their high pitched squeals causing Cobra to wince and scurry up the stairs to join me in the lounge. Angel was apparently in a good mood this week because she and Midnight followed at a slower, sleepier pace.

Jellal gathered all their matching cloaks to him for protection, before bringing them up the stairs and tucking them under his chair. Those particular possessions had suffered greatly in the prank war. They had seen the bottom of the canal, been dyed pink, and set on fire. Last time they visited the cloaks had been placed in a box behind the bar until they left. It hadn't saved them. Crime Sorciere had walked out of the guild that day none the wiser until an hour down the road an enraged Cobra had called on the guildhall lacrima to threaten a slow painful death on whoever had extensively bedazzled the hems. I can feel the smirk on my face in response to Cobra's scowl. Since no one was dead it must have been Blondie.

Levy's laughter rose from the corner where Racer and Richard had joined Team Shadowgear and the glaring scrapheap. For some reason she seemed to find Richard highly amusing. I pulled my eyes from the odd group as Kinana came up the stairs and placed an enormous platter of chocolate chip cookies on the table. Freed followed with a steaming pot also smelling of chocolate, and a tray filled with mugs. Kinana pulled out a purple one adorned with a skull and crossbones that the girls kept around just for the one eyed psycho's visits, pouring a small amount of something that smelled very dangerous into it from a vial in her pocket, and filling it with what turned out to be hot chocolate before taking her usual place in Cobra's lap.

I've only ever witnessed Cobra willingly allow five people to touch him. Everyone else gets poisoned. While Kinana was apparently allowed the liberty to full on cuddle with him whenever she wanted, I've only seen shoulder and elbow nudges exchanged between him and Midnight and Angel. Ezra, despite having kicked both Cobra's and Midnight's asses, had an odd ritual with all the ex-seis where she would place a hand on the back of their neck and rest her forehead against theirs. It was definitely not the full on concussion causing armoured hugs she forced on her guildmates, but it seemed to be the former Tower residents version of a hug, and I'd seen all of them return it.

Then there was Lucy. Blondie was everybody's best friend, or sister, or whatever she was to Natsu, and as such had heard more about the Tower from Erza than all the rest of us combined. So when she heard "Erik" (I still don't know why Kinana calls him that.) tell "Cu" (again, no clue) that he was glad she didn't have memories of when they were in the Tower (only stupid people, like Natsu, asked about their past history), she had abandoned her strawberry milkshake to all but run to the end of the bar and wrap Cobra in the biggest hug she could manage and cry all over his shirt.

The absolute shock on his face, echoed on every other face in the guild that day, was all but comical. Cobra's attempt to escape by claiming it wasn't a big deal and they had all been there had been called a lie to his face and only caused the tears and hugs to be reproduced on every other former Seis member present. Ever since then all of them got hugs every single visit and Blondie added Cobra and Midnight to her long list of brothers.

Freed brought me a plate of cookies and a full mug of chocolate before joining Midnight and Angel in the "reading nook" he and Lucy had set up for the more intellectual visitors to what I still thought of as My balcony, though I was far from the only one who came up here these days, especially when the Witches were in town. Racer and Jet started the second guild brawl of the day when they crashed into Elfman and Evergreen, where the not-couple just happened to be sitting at the same table. Freed got involved when a flying chair passed close enough to Mirajane that her hair danced in its wake. Apparently Bix is feeling lazy today since he and Wendy are perched on the balcony rail, feet dangling more than 12 feet from solid ground, watching the guild destroy furniture Laki remade less than an hour ago.

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To be continued


	3. Caught

Thanks for all the love everybody! Really gets me going! Lol.

Tiernank - Cobra is so much fun to play with. So if I can get him to cooperate he will be showing up in all my stories.

Alas Fairy Tail and it's members are not my brain child.

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I hope she gets home soon. I can feel a storm in the air. She never keeps herself dry when it rains. She will get sick if she has to sleep outside in the storm. Natsu doesn't get cold, Gray can't, and Erza is a monster, so it apparently never occurs to them that she is human. There is a rumble brewing in my chest. I shove a cookie in my mouth to swallow the growl with.

Shit. Cobra. What did I do that drew his attention? He is listening to what's inside my head. I need to focus on something else. Rain, the storm, lightning, hunger. It's been to long since I've found a storm big enough to tear enough lightning from the clouds to satisfy me. Hungry. Think hungry, electric thoughts. Lightning, sparks, hungry, chocolate, sparkling chocolate eyes, her laughter. No! Focus, Laxus.

Too late. He is staring at me with his mouth open. I'm doomed. Great. Now he is laughing. I can feel every other eye in the lounge on us too. Just kill me now. Wait, is that pity in the crazy bastard's eye?

"No, but I do feel for you man." Jellal and Kinana look very confused, and Yin and Yang look very awake and very interested from their ball of emo cuddles in the corner. Cobra's evil grin is very present. "Soooo..."

So? No way am I saying anything out loud for this audience.

"How long has she been all up in your head?"

I glare at him. Most people would respect the glare and leave me alone. Then again most people can't hear the memories I can't stop from flickering through my mind.

...So much spark in her...  
...Why won't she see me...  
...Natsu you idiot...

Thoughts I had kept to myself for so long.

Interest, confusion, anger...  
...relief...She is alive. She came back. She survived an S-class mission. Galuna didn't take her.

Feelings that I hadn't understood that had spun my head like a top. Memories of how enraged I had become in my confusion.

...distraction...  
...ignore her...  
...What is wrong with me...

...They hurt her...

...get out of my head...

...She is making me weak...  
...why won't she see me...  
...destroy her...  
...I can't...  
...What have I done...

The terror at the smell of her blood hanging above Tenrou.  
...no...

...flinging myself onto the ship between her crumpled form and Hades...  
...I won't let you touch her. I won't let her get hurt again...  
The panicked feeling of weakness and uselessness as Acnologia bore down on us, the smell of her fear, and blood, and tears filling my head. Months worth of memories after our return, while I tried so desperately not to care.

"Damn man." I managed to get a handle on my memory stampede by grounding myself in Cobra's voice. "You've perfected this I-don't-give-a-shit routine haven't you?" I watched Jellal's eyes widen in understanding across the table and growled.

"She..." the blue haired guilt fest's single word seemed to snap Kinana's thoughts into line and her eyes locked onto mine in shock.

"Laxus cares?!" I quickly glanced below to ensure the demon hadn't heard. Mira was minding her own business, but Kinana's outburst had Gajeel's full attention on the second floor balcony. I glared at him, but he only settled back into his chair and grinned. His taunting laugh reached my sensitive slayer ears across the guildhall.

I let out a low threatening growl only slayer ears heard and received one back from both male slayers present. Cobra's growl must have been felt by his woman because she eased herself off his lap and backed away from us, Wendy joining her in an all but miraculously quick response to the sub audible threats. The kid's glare had definite hints of both Erza and Scary Lucy.

"You two need to either take it outside or cut it out immediately, and stop scaring poor Kinana!" I glanced at Cobra to see a hint of the same apprehension I was feeling displayed in his single eye.

"Chill Kid." I leaned back in my chair, letting my body language support my words. "I'm not the flaming idiot, besides, if the two of us threw down there wouldn't be a guild left to get out of. Right Cobra?"

"Damn strait. Just be glad the pyro isn't here, Breezy, or stuff would already be on fire."

"Gihi" Just fantastic. Gajeel decided to join our balcony party which means... I glance at his usual table. Yep. His bookworm's full focus is on us. Her eyes are lit up with curiosity as they flicker between her boyfriend and me. The last thing I need is her getting involved. "All the more reason to deal with this now, Short Stuff. He shows up and catches a nose full of this tension there's nothing Erza or Bunny Girl can do would keep Flame Brain from makin' this fight a reality." These people all up in my space and my business are really starting to tick me off. Now the non slayer audience of this unwelcome conversation want to participate.

"Erza is fully capable of incapacitating Natsu in any situation."

"I wasn't aware Laxus had a heart, let alone knew how to use it." Fall in a hole Angel.

"My, my. This is entertaining enough to stay awake for even at this bright hour."

"I'm not afraid, Wendy. I was just getting out of Erik's way. I wouldn't want to slow him down."

At least the Thunder Legion is to occupied with flirting to come make things worse. Levy just ran out of self control and is trying to look casual as she follows Gajeel's path up the stairs. I need to end this before she gets here. She is to smart, and everything she learns Blondie hears about sooner or later.

"Let's get a few things strait. One: I don't need Blondie to protect me from Smoke for Brains. I can leave him twitching on the floor any time I want to. Two: There is nothing going on that needs to be dealt with, and Natsu can't catch a nose full of something that doesn't exist. Three: None of you were invited to poke your noses in my business so back off before I call down a full blown storm on all your heads." Shit. There are to many grins. This is bad. What did I say wrong?

"Laxus," Oh no. Why is Wendy smiling like the Demon? "You do realize that by objecting so strongly to us being in your business you are in fact admitting something is going on?" No. No, no, no. This is bad.

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To be continued


	4. Trapped

Thank you for the love Readers. It is inspiring. Shall we see how badly Laxus stepped in it? This should be fun for us. Not so much fun for poor Laxus.

Mistress Katana I am not responsible if the following chapter causes death by laughter.

Fairy Tail is not my brain child. The characters just play in my brain sometimes.

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"Lay off, Kid. You are spending entirely to much time with the matchmaking demon."

"So Jellal is right." The whole lounge, sans Cobra, turned to look at Midnight, who had an entirely evil look in his eye. "This is about a girl." And Bam. Eyes back on me.

"What? No! Why would you say that?" I have to get out of here.

"Oh no you don't Spark Plug." Cobra you treacherous piece of toxic waste. The grin only grew on his face. "You can't run from this. You already tried that remember?"

"Laxus runs from nothing! How dare you suggest so!"

"Cobra's a lot of things, Freed, but a liar ain't one of 'em. What's up Bossman?"

"Yes do tell, Laxus. What juicy secret are you trying to hide up here?"

My team. No! If they are here then...no...all three sets of Straus eyes are on me too. This is very bad. I have to get out. To many people. What do I do?

"Laxus, are you ok?" Levy is staring at me from under Gajeel's arm. No. They are best friends. Levy tells Lucy everything. I have to get out! "You are starting to spark a bit. Guys is he hyperventilating?"

"Shit, Bluebird. He's doing more than that. You should hear this."

A gust of wind slams into me as someone leaves the hall. I stop breathing. Strawberries and honey. On a midnight mist. She's home. I turn toward the door and take a deep breath. I can smell her team; Erza, Natsu, Gray, that stupid blue cat. No blood. She is ok.

My eyes close in relief and I sink into my chair. I let the silence wash over me. Wait. Silence. In the guild. Silence is bad. I open my eyes. Almost every eye in the guild is on me. Shit. This can't be good.

"What?" Did I miss something?

"Wow" Cobra looks shocked. A shocked Cobra can't be good. "You seriously forgot we were here. Just like that?" Shit. I kinda totally did. At least most everybody else is lost now. Not Gajeel. A couple sniffs seem to have enlightened him.

"No stinking way. Really?"

"Really."

"Seriously?"

"Beyond that. He has it worse than you did."

"Gihihi." Another growl escaped me.

"You two had better shut your traps and mind your own business or your scaley asses will get the shock of their lives." A loud squeak drew my eyes to Wendy. Her eyes were as wide as saucers and both her hands were over her mouth. "You too, Kid."

BOOM! The doors slammed open.

"We're back!" Good. Natsu. They should go back to bothering someone else. "You'll never guess what Luce found!"

Lucy. I let my eyes run over her. No bandages. Today's to short skirt is a dark pink. No burns. Her low cut orange crop top makes her look like a beautiful glowing sunset. No bruises. She has her golden hair up in those adorable, sexy schoolgirl pigtails. She brought a bag to the guildhall? I wonder what she found. Her beautiful, chocolate eyes look tired. She needs to go home and rest.

"Lu! Lu!" I'm pretty sure Levy would fall over the rail if Gajeel wasn't holding the back of her shirt. "Laxus has a heart!" Shit. Can I die now?

"Umm...I'm pretty sure we already know that Levs." Warmth rushes through me. Thank you Lucy. "What are you all doing up there?" No. Please don't remind them!

"Laxus has a heart!"

"Gihihi" Go stand in the rain Lightning Rod. Lucy closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. Mavis, don't do that, Blondie. Your shirt can't handle it. Cobra is cackling like a poisonous chicken. Hear that Cobra. You sound like a chicken. He twitches. He heard me.

"Levy. You already said that. I already pointed out that we already know that. At this point we are going in circles. You haven't answered my question."

"But it works!"

"Of course it does." Lucy looks disturbed. I really want to die. "Oh!" Her eyes look so alive. She is bouncing. Stop that. Bouncing up the stairs. No! Go away. This is bad.

"Oh this is going to be great." A happy Cobra is a very bad thing. Lucy is standing right in front of me. Why is she so close?

"Speaking of Laxus's heart..." Why does she look so excited? Her eyes are so beautiful. "I think it's time you become a daddy!"

CRASH! Ow. I hurt. Did the guild collapse? Are we being attacked? Why does Cobra think it's funny?

"Oh the babies!" Mira? What? I'm looking at the ceiling. The guildhall is standing. I think. People are screaming. My head hurts. Why am I lying down? Lucy? Why are you looking at me like that?

"I'm pretty sure you broke him, Bright Eyes. Let's hope it's permanent."

"Luce, how did you do that? I've never seen anyone take Laxus down that fast!"

"Shut up you flaming idiot!"

"Make me snow cone breath!"

"That doesn't even make sense!"

"Both of you Behave!"

"Yes ma'am!"

"Gihihi"

"Laxus, are you ok?" She sounds so sweet. Sweet like the honey she smelly like. "I'm sorry."

"What?" Why is she sorry? She should never be sorry.

"How many fingers am I holding up?"

"Three."

"What's my name?"

"Lucy?" She looks surprised. What did I say?

"Wow. I didn't think you actually knew my real name." Why does my chest hurt now?

"Huh?" She is looking away. Please look at me, Lucy. Your eyes are so beautiful.

"Bickslow, can you help him up? Wendy, would you make sure he didn't hit his head to hard?" There are a lot of people talking and yelling.

"The babies!"

"Silence! All of you!" Erza? "This is the most interesting thing I've seen in months."

"Gee, Cosplayer, I think Cobra's right. You broke him." I'm sitting again. Mavis, the whole guild just watched me fall out of my chair. Why couldn't the hall have collapsed? "He's fine, Lucy. Physically at least."

"Bright Eyes, I'm really glad you hardly ever think before you speak. That was awesome."

"Erik, be nice."

"Not manly!"

"The babies!"

"Silence!"

"Laxus, are you ok?" Chocolate eyes. Lucy. I've got to get this under control.

"Mavis, Blondie, what's wrong with you?"

"Oh good. You're fine. I was afraid I really broke you." Yeah. You did. "Here. I rescued this on our mission and I'm pretty sure you are where it's meant to be." She is handing me her bag. Why?

"You brought me something?" I don't understand.

"Yep! Open it up and see. Gently. Look inside." Her smile is so beautiful. She brought me something. Me. I force my gaze to the bag in my lap.

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To be continued


	5. Out of the Bag

Milissaanne29 it does so many good things to my heart to hear how close to death by laughter my story is bringing you guys. Real life usually stinks like rotten spiders, so we need that sometimes.

Huddle close peeps. RosesMcKeller, Mistress Katana it's time. We are about to find out what is in the bag. Let's so watch the guild pick on Laxus some more!

Fairy Tail is not mine. If it was there would be more canines. Plue doesn't really count as a dog.

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There is something round inside, not perfectly round, maybe oblong. They just got back from a monster hunt right?

"Blondie, don't tell me you brought me the severed head of one of your enemies. That's real romantic but I don't think Mira will appreciate the mess." I hear a gasp from where the Straus siblings are huddled behind Kinana. I'm a jerk, I admit it, but the way Lucy is wrinkling her nose in disgusted horror is adorable.

"Eww!" Her response is echoed by several members of our audience. It disturbs me though how many of them, both male and female, are expressing just how romantic they think that would actually be. I was joking. They aren't. Th here is something wrong with this guild. Mira is going to kill me if any heads show up in this hall. "I'm not a cat, Laxus. I'm never bringing you or anyone else pieces of dead things. Try again. Or better yet open the bag." I heft it in both hands.

"It's warm and I sense magic energy. Enchanted rock?" She is wavering right on the border of being irritated. If I'm not careful to keep that laughing sparkle in her eyes I will end up Lucy Kicked through a wall.

"No. I'm not Levy or Freed and neither are you, so no. Why don't you just look in the bag?" I could do that, but I'm enjoying her attention to much to end this any sooner than I have to. I roll the bag over and tip it to one side then the other. I almost drop it when it starts ticking.

"I swear, if this is a bomb and it goes off you are paying for the damages."

"It's not an ever loving bomb! Besides if it was do you think I would be standing this close?" She is really close, to close. Just an inch or two to far though. If i had a decent excuse I'd probably be leaning into her to try and feel the heat from her skin.

"Yeah, but Natsu will be if you wait much longer to open that damn thing." Gray sounds bored, but he followed the rest of Lucy's team up here so apparently whatever is in this bag is interesting. Juvia is standing behind him all but swooning as she clutches his discarded shirt to her chest. "The girls had to make all sorts of threats and promises to keep him and Happy from spilling the beans before you found out and they are about to lose it."

"Please open the bag, Laxus! Lucy said I get a whole salmon if I don't tell, and Erza will do terrible things to me if I do! Lucy might sit on me and I don't want to die, but I can't take much more!" Lucy is glaring at Happy as he flies in circles around Natsu's head, and the pink haired idiot is literally holding his own mouth closed.

I lean forward and take a deep sniff of the bag. Lucy. At first all I can smell is Lucy. I close my eyes to focus. Under the strawberries and honey and past the midnight mist there is a familiar smell. I can't quite place it. Suddenly the smell of Lucy gets stronger and overpowers everything else. My eyes snap open. I turn to look at her and freeze. I'm literally looking strait down her shirt as she bends over with her face next to mine. I can feel her breath on my ear.

"Laxus," An involuntary shiver runs through me as she whispers my name. Again. Say my name again. Just like that. "Open the bag." She is practically moaning in my ear. Mavis, help me. A strangled sound comes from my throat. Even I have no idea what it was supposed to sound like. All I can see and smell and feel is Lucy, way to close and not close enough. The uproar in the guild is a dull echo in the back of my mind.

"Gee, Lucy, that was hot. You broke Laxus."

"Shut up Drunk!"

"Babies!"

"You think if I offered to open that bag I could get Cosplayer to climb in my lap and whisper in my ear?" Lucy leaned back to glare at Bickslow. I zapped him hard enough he landed on the floor. She left. I can function again. I blame him. He's lucky he isn't smoking after that comment.

"For the love of sanity, Laxus, open the damn bag!" Levy looks like she is about to combust. I roll my eyes. It's unintentional.

"Fine. Since the entire guild seems beside themselves to know what's in the bag I'll open it." I'm really dying to know what Lucy brought me, but the glower I'm leveling at all the people staring at me doesn't let it show. I hope. I'm choosing to ignore Cobra's knowing smirk.

I loosen the drawstring of the leather bag and glance inside to see a smooth rounded surface covered in a rippling silver pattern. I reach out to touch the warm surface. It's alive. Not a rock. Not a bomb. It wasn't ticking. It was tapping. I've seen one of these before. Years ago. Lucy brought me an exceed egg.

"You..." I can barely force the one word out. I can feel my hands start to tremble. I don't understand. I've always silently wished for a little partner like the other slayers. I just figured... I'm second gen, a fake slayer. Besides, they are sentient beings, live in families, have a queen, and a village now. Wouldn't they have the right to raise this egg there? She would have thought of that though so... "Why?"

"The monsters we were hunting found a little settlement, wiped it out. The grandmother managed to hide with it. We escorted her back to the village. Of course Happy chattered nonstop about our slayers and how awesome being Natsu's partner is. When I told her about you she said she was too old to care for it as it deserved and asked of you would be willing to honour their family by doing so."

Her smile is so beautiful. She thought of me. Spoke well enough of me to convince a complete stranger to entrust the last of her family to me. To choose me over their own kind even. Me!

"This suspense is killing us, Laxus! What's in the bag?" Evergreen's voice drew my attention to my team. Their excited faces made me realize I'd only opened the bag enough for me to see in. The guild, aside from Team Natsu and Cobra, was still watching, waiting, exceeds and slayers staring at me wide eyed. Lucy's slightly vague explanation had been whispered to softly for most to hear.

I took a deep breath and gently took the egg from the bag to lift it up and allow the guild to see Lucy's gift. The white and silver egg was met with silence for a long moment, followed by a variety of nonverbal exclamations. I saw Cobra cover his ears. Than chaos.

"Wow, Bossman. She literally just made you a daddy."

"The babies!"

"A thunder kitty!"

"No flipping way!"

"It's love! Oh yeah!"

"Now you will have someone to teach, Happy!"

"So manly!"

"Love Rival is so generous!"

This is only going to devolve from here. I'm not even sure I can accept such a huge responsibility. It's an innocent life. I do know Lucy deserves a proper response to her gift, and I can't deal with this here. No way is the guild letting me walk out, her either for that matter, but I'm leaving and I'm not leaving her behind.

I ease the egg back into the warm leather bag and pull the drawstring shut, gently looping the strap over my shoulder as I stand, reaching out with my other arm to wrap around Lucy and pull her closer than I ever would have dared before today. Erza can see what I have planned and is furious. There is not a wizard in this guild who can catch my Lightning Teleport though. She lunges, but won't reach us in time. I smirk at her as I send us streaking through the air out of the guildhall.

XxXxXxXxX

To be continued


	6. Letting Her In

I always felt bad for the second gen slayers. I think they would have had fewer emotional issues if they had got furry cuddles. I mean it did Gajeel a world of good.

Firesong23 I so wish I had the artistic talent to create that picture. It's precious! Somebody do that! OMG!

Ok. Let's find out where Laxus took Lucy, and whether they can actually interact like polite humans.

If Fairy Tail was mine Lucy would have pumbled Happy by now for calling her fat

XxXxXxXxX

I hold Lucy tight to my side as I put us down in a field of wildflowers, watching her for any bad reactions to the spell. Some people don't handle it well. Freed strait up vomits any time he is forced to let me move him by lightning. She doesn't look sick, maybe a little disoriented, but I didn't give her any warning at all so that makes sense. She isn't moving away from me either, but I finally have the girl who has haunted my dreams for years pressed against me, and I'm not letting go unless she asks me to.

"That was really, really fun!" I can hear laughter in her voice. Warmth is swelling inside me. She likes my magic. I smile. "Can I bribe you with something to turn me into lightning next time I can't escape the guild without resorting to violence?" I laugh. Of course her reaction is the exact opposite of everything I feared. She is amazing.

"Tell you what ,Blondie, as long as I'm not actually busy doing something, I'll allow you to ask for up to one free jump a day. Bribes won't be required until jump number two."

"Really?" Mavis, could her eyes get any bigger?

"Really. However this deal comes with conditions." Wow. She really just turned her head away from me just so she could glare at me out of the corner of her eye. So cute. Conditions. Right. Focus, Laxus. "One: Keep in mind that I'm not a taxi. You start getting ridiculous I will withdraw my offer. Two: The amount of magic energy these jumps take is directly related to distance, so don't ask me for a big jump right after I come back from a mission or if I'm tired. Or if I've been drinking. No matter what I may say otherwise at the time I can't take passengers safely when drunk so don't ask. Three..." I let the silence drag out, because I'm a jerk, and Lucy is adorable when suspicious. "Say please." She blinked her big, chocolate eyes at me. Her giggle is so precious. The little boy who still lives deep inside me is doing a happy dance at being able to get these reactions from her.

"Do you really try to take people with you when you drink to much even though you know better sober?" I'm blushing. I'll deny it if I get called on it but I can feel my cheeks getting hot.

"The amount of energy needed changes with the mass I take with me. I can't judge it accurately when drinking. I'll deny it if mentioned in the presence of anyone but my team but I also may be a little directionally challenged. I'm pretty easy to convince when I'm drunk that I can do anything because I pretty much can when sober. Ow! Don't hit me woman. I've seen you drunk so I know you have no room to judge." I'm terribly jealous of Natsu's ability to interact with her in that condition, but I still keep the memories in a special place.

"One of these days your head will get so big you won't be able to fit it through the double doors to get it into the guildhall." Pretty sure that already happened during Fantasia.

"I'll just use my lightning to get through the doorway." She is laughing again. The sound eases the pain remembering my stupidity brought.

"So what happens if i convince you do jump me when you are drunk?" Mavis, Cobra's right. She doesn't think before she speaks. She just blew the lid off my for-special-alone-moments box and the images flying around in my head are making it hard to breath. Apparently it showed on my face because she changed color. "No! That's not what I mesnt! Not jump me! I'm not asking you to... I wouldn't... I mean... Not that you couldn't but... oh, Mavis! Just forget I said that. I meant what would happen if you were drunk and decided to take a passenger along on a Lightning Teleport?" She threw her hands over her face and started making this weird keening noise. I leaned down to whisper strait in her ear.

"Say 'Please, Laxus' and I will pretend I forgot the part you wish I actually would." I'm a jerk, but she just left herself wide open and watching her dissolve into a panicked mess was actually really hot. So is that glare. The shiver running down my spine is because it is also terrifying.

"Please, Laxus." Growled through clenched teeth. I'm going to take it though because I don't fancy a Luck Kick to the tender bits. I've seen to many of those delivered to risk it.

"The last time that happened I dropped both of us off a 100 foot cliff. We only survived because my passenger was a mage with enough gravity magic to ease our fall. I've also hit brick walls and come out over open water. Once I landed Bickslow and myself in a jail cell. Literally. We stayed the night because they wouldn't let us leave till we sobered up." She is laughing at me. I don't mind. It's Lucy. Her laugh is beautiful, and even I have to admit it was funny.

"So where are we?" I lift my eyes to let them run over the tall grasses and wildflowers. I felt the tightness that squeezed my heart every time I came here.

"My home. Once. I grew up here. After Tartaros most of the house was still standing so I came and worked on pieces the whole year after. My team helped some. I had just finished when Alverez..." I take a deep breath to force myself past the memories. "There are still a couple stones here that were part of the foundation, but I haven't had the heart to start from scratch. I practically live at the guild these days anyway so my apartment is just a place to sleep when I'm not on missions."

"Why are we here if it bothers you?" She is leaning into me. It feels good, soothing, and she fits just right.

"Instinct. I still come here to think and get away sometimes. The building is gone but it's still home. The Dreyers have lived here since the first master's days. Someday I plan to build again. It won't be the house I grew up in but... maybe that's a good thing. My childhood wasn't very happy. I want my children to have happy memories here."

"Did Cobra poison you?"

"What? No! Why?" She is giving me a weird look.

"It's just you are being super...open and...sharey."

"That's not a word. You're a writer. You know that."

"I'm all mixed up in my head. Laxus Dreyer just told me he wants children."

"Oh." Yeah. That wasn't supposed to happen. I heard Cobra tell Angel once that Lucy causes people to vomit emotional rainbows. Guess he was right.

XxXxXxXxX

To be continued


	7. A Full Evening

Love to all my readers! Let's read some rainbows! Also keep in mind that Laxas wrote this story not me. So don't hate me(hides in closet).

Fairy Tail is super duper awesome, but not mine.

XxXxXxXxX

"In case you haven't noticed, you are really easy to talk to, and besides," I pulled the bag off my shoulder. "This is a huge show of trust and respect on your part. You earned my trust and I already respected you. You reached out, I'm letting you in, and I don't do that very often, Blondie, so you'd better appreciate it." Very often huh? How about never. Close quarters and over exposure crammed my team down my throat. Yeah, they were my friends, but I didn't choose to let them in, it just happened.

"Believe me I'm appreciating." What does that mean? I can see the gears turning in her head through her sparkling chocolate eyes. "Laxus?" I love the way my name sounds when she says it.

"Yeah?"

"You can let me go now." I really don't want to, but I pull my arm just far enough from her she can move but I can still feel her warmth. To my surprise she doesn't run, or escape, or even leave really. She just sits, right there, with her shoulder touching my leg. "Sit with me. Relax. You don't do that nearly enough these days. Sitting while doing paperwork for Gramps doesn't count as relaxing."

"I was relaxing when you came into the guildhall." Lies. I bet she'll call me on it too.

"No you weren't." Yep. Called it. "You were being mobbed. Want to tell me what that was about?"

"No." Hell fucking no. Absolutely not. This letting her in thing only goes so far. If she pushes I'm leaving her ass right here.

"Ok, fair enough. It's not like I won't hear about it eventually anyway."

"Not from me you won't."

"Not directly, no, but Cobra's in town." She is straight up smirking at me. I think I've been threatened. If it wasn't so terrifying I would like it.

"Let's make a deal."

"Another one?"

"Yeah, another one. You're big on deals right? Contracts and promises are your magic." She looks a little blind sided.

"Most people don't understand that but...yeah." I'm not telling her how much time I've spent learning about her magic.

"You agree to drop it and not go hunting for more information, even from the one-eyed psycho, and I will sit with you, and," I know she can't say no to this, "You get both the right to name this little one and you get to be it's mom when I go on dangerous missions." Yeah. Go all or go home huh, Laxus? If this little exceed makes me a dad, then I just asked her to be the mother of my children. There is only one right now but still. Mira is going to lose it. I'm leaving town once Gramps gets back from his vacation.

"Eeeee!" Ow. My ears. "Really? Promise?" I nod. "Deal! I promise. I will ask no questions and drop no hints, nor will I seek any answers or explanations regarding any events which may or may not have transpired in the guildhall today prior to my arrival in the S class lounge this afternoon." Wow. That's thorough. And fast. I sit myself down beside her and pull the bag open in my lap. It's tapping again.

"Does that sound mean it's about to hatch?" She shakes her head.

"Not immediately. Tintin said it could be a couple weeks, longer if we let it get cold. When it starts rocking we are supposed to send her a message via one of the Fairy Tail exceeds, so she can head up here, because that means we are looking at a couple days tops, maybe even just hours."

"Tintin is the grandmother's name?"

"Yep. The parents names were Lacey and Looper. Tintin asked us to teach the kitten their names when it's old enough."

"Are you sure you trust me with this, Blondie?" I sure don't. "I mean, I could totally screw up this little guy's entire life."

"Of course I do. Don't worry so much. I mean Natsu managed, so it can't be that hard."

"Have you ever considered that Happy might be as much of an idiot as he is because of the fact that Natsu is an even bigger idiot?"

"It's not that bad."

"Last week you told him you were turning him into a pair of mittens and he said you could only make one because there was only one of him. And he still hasn't figured out that Carla really despises fish."

"Ok fine. They are idiots. My point is you've got this in the bag. Ha! I'm so punny." She really is. "You are a strong, intelligent wizard with immense wells of patience. Don't doubt yourself."

"Have you been stealing sips of Cobra's coffee? I'm the Thunder God. Everyone knows I'm powerful, smart, and seriously sexy. Stop pinching me! What gave you the idea I had any patience at all?" She looks as serious as a funeral.

"Bickslow isn't dead." I haven't laughed this hard in years.

XxXxXxXxX

I am Laxus Dreyer, the Thunder God, and I'm lying on my back in a field of wildflowers, with a cat's egg resting on my belly, pointing out pictures in clouds. And I'm happy about it. Only Lucy could have made this happen.

"That one looks like one of those cute little monkey things that live on Tenrou Island."

"I'm not seeing it. Looks kinda like Bix though."

"Did you just call your best friend a monkey?"

"No. I said he looks like one. Besides he is only my best friend twice a week."

"What is he the other five days?"

"A child."

"Like Natsu."

"Accept he actually knows what to do with a beautiful woman."

"Natsu knows what to do with a beautiful woman."

"Oh yeah?"

"Uhu. Ask her for bacon."

"Ha! Please tell me Mira is delusional and you don't have a thing for that moron." Really. Please, please, please...

"Mira is very delusional. I can't blame her for thinking that though. I mean he sleeps in my bed, and eats my food, and raids my underwear drawer to play ninjas and has seen me naked more times than I have. And that's really saying something since I have a spirit who turns into me in a towel and pretends it's an accident when she drops it every single time I summon her. But you just can't have a serious romantic relationship with a five year old."

"That can't be healthy."

"Oh and your relationship with Freed is?"

"Touche."

"Exactly." The sky is starting to change color as the sun sets. I can smell the storm gathering. "That one looks like Plu."

"Your snowman?"

"He's a dog."

"Right and I'm a basket of grapes."

"Nah. You are pretty fruity, but you are more of a pineapple. Bix is a basket of grapes."

"A pineapple?"

"Yeah."

"How do you figure?"

"Well first off your hair is pretty pineapple colored."

"Gee, Blondie, you're a genius."

"I am really. Pineapple is pretty much the embodiment of you. All hard and prickly on the outside, and yeah you are really acidic, but inside you have a heart of gold and are all squishy and sweet."

I have no response to that. This day has pretty much proven, without a shadow of a doubt, that I am indeed a pineapple. What does that make Lucy then? Apples are common and oranges have a bitter peel. Bananas are sweet and useless. Coconuts have nothing but water inside. She smells like strawberries, but I don't think that fits either. She is like my opposite. Maybe...

"A peach."

"What about a peach?"

"No. A peach is about you."

"Well that's just peachy."

"So punny. Really though. Fuzzy and soft on the outside then sweet and bursting with flavor when you go deeper in, but deep down inside you know what you are?"

"The pits?"

"One tough nut."

"You really think so?"

"I know so."

"Thanks, Laxus."

"You're welcome, Blondie."

"The clouds are getting thick."

"Storm has been waiting all day for the sun to set. I'm afraid there won't be any stargazing tonight."

"Will there be lightning?"

"Should be. I'll probably be up hunting most of the night "

"You have to hunt it?"

"Lightning doesn't have a stationary source like fire. You can't toss it on a plate and crunch it like iron or put it in a cup and drink it like poison. It's alive. You have to watch it, listen, anticipate it's movements."

"Be there when it strikes?"

"Nah. You can, but it's better if you catch it by the tail and slurp it like a noodle." I wish I could box that giggle and keep it in my pocket.

"That image is hilarious. You ever slap yourself in the nose with the end?"

"Not since I was a kid."

"Hey, Pineapple?"

"Hmm?"

"I had fun today."

"Good." I can feel the silence stretching out as the storm gathers in the sky. Good silence. The comfortable kind. "Lucy?"

"Laxus?"

"Thanks."

"For what?"

"For seeing me."

"You didn't make it easy. For such a big, flashy guy you sure put a lot of effort into hiding."

I smile. I feel happy and full and warm inside. Lucy reaches over and tucks her hand into mine, threading our fingers together. My heart rate picks up and I squeeze her hand gently. I feel alive, full, happy. Everything I didn't feel this morning. Because Lucy is here.

XxXxXxXxX

The End. Maybe.

XxXxXxXxX

Laxas refuses to share any more of his innermost thoughts with me. I may bribe Lucy and the others to pick the story back up later because I'm dying to know what the Thunder Kitty is going to be like. But we will see. In the meantime I've got some BixLu action going on in If It Looks Human that should be fun.


End file.
